Submissions and Advice

Assistance to Parliament is the Commissioner's highest work priority and is governed by a Code of Practice developed through the Officers of Parliament Committee (updated in August 2007).

An opportunity to assist select committees arises when a bill or inquiry could lead to significant environmental impacts, positive or negative.

The Commissioner also assists Parliament through briefings to select committees or by open invitation to members of Parliament. Such briefings will always be offered when an investigation is complete and the report has been tabled in the House.

In my role as an independent advisor I have often commented that climate change is the biggest environmental problem of our time. I was therefore disappointed to see that in terms of the draft Energy Strategy the aim to “Reduce energy-related greenhouse gas emissions” was relegated to the twelfth area of focus.